International Plain Language Day October 13 2012

You have the right to understand

by Cheryl Stephens

Demand Plain Language

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Announcing 2nd Annual International Plain Language Day October 13

International Plain Language Day (IPLDay.org) October 13, 2012 will be observed all over the world. Events and contests are organized locally but celebrated globally. Last year, events took place in South Africa, Canada, the U.S., Sweden, New Zealand, and Argentina.

Organizers are asking associations to endorse IPLDay and plan their own events to mark the day. A running list of planned events will be available at the website IPLDay.org. 

“Vancouver and Calgary have proclaimed International Plain Language Day October,” said Cheryl Stephens, a leader in the movement and an expert in plain legal language. “We are hoping people in other cities will ask their mayors to do the same.”

"We started the international plain language network and conferencing in the early 90s using only email and web pages," said Kate Harrison Whiteside, a social media and plain language consultant. "These days LinkedIn’s Plain Language Advocates Group that I host is nearing 2,000 members." added Stephens. 

"We’ll use the social web to get world-wide support for this important movement. Our virtual conference on plain language takes place October 13. We chose this date--the anniversary of the US Plain Writing Act--to celebrate hard-won achievements in many countries and the talented people who are making information materials understandable and usable."

Around the world, progress has been made in recognizing the need and the public and commercial demand for clearer information. Plain language is now on the agenda for the health, legal, government, banking, social, education and business sectors.

On October 13, 2012, people and organizations will be hosting events online, in offices, and on the streets to mark their support for putting readers first in communication by using plain language.  

Contacts
Cheryl Stephens, email@cherylstephens.com  1-604- 739-6884
Kate Harrison Whiteside, kate@keyadvice.net 
International Plain Language  IPLDay.org
Likes at IPLD Facebook Page Twitter Hashtag- #iplday
Background documents and graphics are available at http://tinyurl.com/IPLD-MediaResources